


Sugar and Ice

by Bumblebeebitch



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, accidental date night at the fair, anyway, this is more embarrassing for me than frottage somehow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:27:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29242062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bumblebeebitch/pseuds/Bumblebeebitch
Summary: Tien and Yamcha spend a night at the fair together.
Relationships: Tenshinhan/Yamcha (Dragon Ball), Yamcha/tien, Yamtien - Relationship
Comments: 1
Kudos: 17





	Sugar and Ice

**Author's Note:**

> Going to decapitate myself for this cutesy shit.  
> also I suck at titles :(

Tien couldn’t help stealing glances at the man standing next to him. He hadn’t seen Yamcha since they had all split up to train separately for the 23rd Budokai and the feelings he’d been harbouring since Kame house were still as present as ever. Even with Yamcha’s new facial scars and wild hair he was still exceptionally handsome, something that obviously didn’t escape people's attention. The blatant sidelong glances he’d spied women and some men giving Yamcha as they strolled around the fair outside the tournament grounds was evidence enough. He hated that it irked him so much knowing that other people looked at Yamcha that way.. Yamcha was an adult with a girlfriend, it was not Tien’s place to feel protective, as if Yamcha wasn’t more than capable of taking care of himself.

And he couldn’t exactly blame anyone for seeing the beauty in Yamhca with his long hair loose around his face, a white shirt buttoned a little lower than it needed to be, walking around in the dark with the twinkling lights of the stalls glimmering in his eyes. Still Tien couldn’t resist giving his most deadly expression to the people who allowed their gazes to linger a little too long, smirking at how quickly they would look away, expressions almost horror struck. Sometimes being a bald 6 foot tall triclops had its perks. 

“Are you sure you don’t want a shaved ice, Tien? My treat.” Yamcha was giving him his best dopey lopsided grin, holding his change purse out to Tien. It looked like something a grandmother would carry, small flowers embroidered on the silk- Tien could appreciate the workmanship, even if it looked a little funny in Yamcha’s hand.

“No thank you.” He inclined his head. In all honesty he wasn’t terribly sure what was so enticing about ice with sugar syrup soaking it, but Yamcha seemed excited about it.

With his shaved ice acquired they set back out to inspect the stalls, though Tien was still mostly looking at Yamcha, especially as he enjoyed his treat. Watching Yamcha lick his shaved ice was rather distracting and Tien was trying very hard not to think about _why_ exactly it was so distracting- “Why do you keep staring at me like that?” Yamcha had stopped mid lick to give him a perplexed look.

“Pardon?” Tien’s heart was pounding out of his chest, horrified at the prospect of Yamcha having noticed his leering.

“It’s my scars, isn’t it?” Yamcha lifted his free hand to his cheek, his eyes dropping to the ground- bottom lip jutting out in a pout “They’re ugly.”

That hadn’t been what Tien was expecting, though he didn’t feel any better for Yamcha not knowing why he’d actually been watching him so intently- “No, not at all- I didn’t mean to stare, it’s just- I…” Tien struggled to explain, knowing that he couldn’t exactly admit the truth but he also couldn’t leave Yamcha feeling insecure. “I’m just happy to see you- you hold my attention better than these stalls.” As soon as the words were out Tien was wondering why he phrased it like _that._

Any panic he felt at admitting that was quashed by the hopeful glimmer he caught in Yamcha’s eye as he turned his face back up toward Tien, “Really?” Yamcha’s voice sounded so quiet and tender Tien found it impossible to speak for a moment, getting lost in Yamcha’s eyes. 

“Really.”

“So my scars aren’t too noticeable?” Yamcha asked, his hand still resting over his cheek. 

“No, if anything they give you character. But overwhelmingly you’re still adorable just like before-”

_“Wait-_ You think I’m _Adorable?”_ The way Yamcha’s voice went up an octave as he said adorable had Tien kicking himself.

Why on earth would he describe his friend, his _rival_ as adorable. Let alone admit that _to_ said friend? Tien could feel his whole face turning a solid red and he was so glad the others hadn’t decided to tag along. He wouldn’t have been able to take anyone else's commentary on his bizarre behaviour around Yamcha. But the words had been said and a question was waiting to be answered- Tien was nothing if not honest- “Yes. I don’t need three eyes to see that you’re adorable. It was probably part of the reason I was so hard on you at the last tournament, I didn’t think you had any place here-”

“Wait-” Yamcha’s shaved iced was melting rapidly, it sloshed down his hand as he wildly moved his hands around- “You thought I was cute at the last tournament? The tournament where you broke my leg?” Considering the topic at hand Yamcha looked a lot more joyful than Tien would have expected. A man who had once broken his leg was now admitting he thought he was adorable and instead of being affronted he seemed... pleased? Tien really couldn’t understand Yamcha sometimes. “Yes… as I said.” Tien spoke slowly, partly for Yamcha’s sake and partly because his brain wasn’t necessarily processing what was happening properly.

Yamcha laughed at that, a smug grin on his face- “Well, that’s something at least.”

Tien didn’t have the vaguest idea what Yamcha meant but he decided he wouldn't question it, instead he turned to look for a distraction. Finally his eyes settled on a sign reading “Bottle Toss” in red and white italics atop a small tent. Tien recognized it as the same place he had won Chiaotzu a teddy bear from three years ago and immediately zig zagged through the crowd, a confused Yamcha dumping the soggy remnant of his shaved ice in a bin before catching up to Tien.

The short mustachioed man working the game looked up to Tien, his eyes bulging out of his face- “You!” He squeaked out. Tien was shocked that he remembered him but he did suppose that three eyed men weren’t exactly a common sight and he had caused quite a stir last time he was here, winning the tournament and all. Tien bowed his head at the man before reaching into the pocket of his pants, producing a 30 zenni note “One game, thank you.” he held the cash out to the apprehensive man. For most people these games were impossible, but a little glue holding the bottles together was hardly an issue for someone like Tien. The man quickly pocketed the money, handing Tien three balls- he didn’t even bother explaining the rules, instead he stood right back out of the way.

Tien did his best to ignore that Yamcha was watching him intently to his side, focusing on lining the ball up with the exact center of the tower of bottles. Pulling his arm back and directing his ki to flow through his palm, Tien flung the ball easily obliterating the bottle structure in one go- the expression of the man running the game was somewhere near terrified, his jaw hanging agape. Tien gingerly sat the two other balls he held in his opposite hand on the counter, waiting expectantly. Once the man had collected himself he pointed Tien to the array of top prizes- "Pick any you want." the way he said it suggested he wanted Tien out of there as fast as humanly possible.

Tien took in the line of prizes, of course he didn’t really have a want for any plush toy but still, he had won fair and square. Peaking at Yamcha from his third eye, Tien tried to get a gauge on which one he might like. Unfortunately, Yamcha appeared to be only looking at him as if he had grown a second head- he would just have to take his best guess. A green dinosaur or blue hedgehog didn’t seem particularly Yamcha’s style, neither did the monkey- that was more Goku. Eventually Tien’s eyes settled on a pastel purple cat plush with big orange eyes and a bowtie- “Can I please have the cat?” The man got the cat down from it’s hanging pot and handed it to Tien, a shaky smile plastered on his face- “Thank you.” Tien bowed his head once more before turning back to Yamcha.

He’d already made a fool of himself- what was one more embarrassing moment if it meant he could live out some small fantasy for one night? The tournament would be over soon enough and he could disappear with Chiaotzu, as if it had never happened. Fixing Yamcha with his most serious expression Tien held the cat out to his chest- “Here, for your leg. I never did properly say sorry.” Once again Yamcha was looking at him like he had grown a second head, though a sweet smile was starting to turn up the corners of his handsome mouth-

“This is for me?” He said as he took the cat from Tien’s hands.

“That is what I said.” Tien didn’t mean for his voice to sound so terse but he really was very out of his depth. Luckily Yamcha didn’t seem to notice as he was to busy smiling down at the cat plush, cuddling it to his chest.

“Nobody has ever won anything for me before.” He said quietly. "Thank you." Yamcha looked back up to Tien, his soft eyes shining.

How Yamcha managed to make him feel so warm with just one look Tien would never fully understand- It was like his eyes could bore right through Tien's defenses. Scuffing the dirt at his feet, Tien looked away from Yamcha out into the crowd, a small smile on his lips. "You're welcome."

He had won much more than a plush toy that night.

**Author's Note:**

> and what else did yamaha win? tiens heart <3


End file.
